The Recruiter is a blog for workers in technology and professional markets to learn about hot fields and hiring trends from your friends at Yoh.

Yoh is one of the largest providers of talent and outsourcing services to customers in the United States. With over 374 million USD in total sales, Yoh operates from more than 75 locations and provides long- and short-term temporary and direct placement of technology and professional personnel, as well as managed staffing services, for the information technology, scientific, engineering, health care and telecommunications communities. For more information, visit yoh.com. Yoh is part of Yoh Services LLC, a Day & Zimmermann Company.

December 08, 2008

Behind the Scenes of a Layoff

At some point during the span of your professional life, you will probably be laid off. Whether for economic reasons or for being on the wrong end of a corporate tug-of-war, almost everyone loses a job through no fault of their own during the course of their career.

CNET News posted a great article exploring the layoff process in a tech company, which is especially relevant now that the United States is officially in a recession. The anonymous chief executive of a Web 2.0 company reveals the difficulties in balancing financial health and employee well-being.

Most interesting is the discussion of the “proper” method to lay off a worker. The CEO suggests a goodbye gathering to acknowledge the departing employees’ services to the company, and that a company makes a reasonable effort to help the newly unemployed find work.

But how many of you out there have actually experienced such generous behavior? Many laid-off employees are often swept under the rug in secret, creating a negative buzz that sweeps through an office. I’m interested to hear your worst layoff story, and what you would have done differently if the tables were turned.

How to Find a Tech Job in a Recession

CBS 3 in Philadelphia recently aired a great story about Yoh and what we can do to help IT workers find a job in an oppressive economic environment. Besides advising job seekers to stay positive and focused, technology reporter Stephanie Abrams offers some unique places to find job hunting advice.

Watch the video and take the first step towards finding a job and getting back on your feet.

December 05, 2008

Web 2.0 and You

Everybody loves throwing around the term Web 2.0, arguably the Internet buzzword of the decade. However, many modern professionals only have a vague understanding of what it means, or no idea at all. Let’s quickly shed some light on this trend, and what it means to you.

“Web 2.0” was coined by Tim O’Reilly, founder of tech media company O’Reilly Media, to describe a shift on the Internet toward an emphasis on user-generated content and online communities. Wikipedia and YouTube are made solely of content written and uploaded by their users. Online communities like Facebook and Twitter exist to connect users to one another through text, video and photos.

Social networking tools as a whole were generally thought of as friend trackers and dating sites until savvy companies began to use them for business purposes. Facebook and Twitter have become a boon to recruiters, who canvas the communities, building relationships and engaging candidates.

There’s absolutely no excuse to not have at least a Facebook profile online and kept up to date. If you’re a job seeker in the current market, you must be “plugged in” with the community to stay current and connected. The job hunt has changed, and an old cliché contains a kernel of truth: It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know.

December 02, 2008

IT Employment Remains at Record Level

Employment may be down in general, but hiring in the IT sector has hit an all-time high. This is great news for IT workers with specific in-demand skills, like SAP experience.

According to the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB), IT employment reached a record high of 3,925,600 in September. The broader job market lost 159,000 jobs in September alone, but skilled IT professionals haven’t had much to worry about.

However, what impact will the decline of tech wages, discussed in several recent posts here at The Recruiter, have on workers? It may be easy to find work in IT, but what if you aren’t making nearly as much as you used to? People are having to make difficult choices nowadays, but remember that 2009, and possible greener pastures, are only a few weeks away.

November 25, 2008

Be Great, Not Ordinary: Grab Employers’ Attention

In grim economic times, it’s even more important to refine your resume to be as on-point and outstanding as possible. Since many people are out of work, employers are undoubtedly being pelted with unqualified, unimpressive resumes from workers desperate to find a job. Unless you want to get caught in the shuffle, you’ll need to take steps to pull away from the pack.

Ryan Healy at Employee Evolution posted some advice for companies looking to hire great people to build a great company, but job seekers can also glean some wisdom from Ryan’s words. Companies are only looking for the best people to help make their vision a reality. Mundane, run-of-the-mill candidates are not on the top of their “must-hire” list. In order to break through, only apply for jobs which you’re well-qualified for, and make sure you have the skills to go above and beyond expectations.

November 24, 2008

Tech Will Survive the Financial Meltdown, Recover By 2010

CIO.com recently posted a rundown of the eight reasons why the tech industry will survive and resume healthy growth by 2010.

Some of the highlights:• Hey, at least it isn’t 2001 again. Even the most dark and dreary of predictions don’t think the current crisis compares to the disastrous dot-com bubble bursting. Times have changed; IT is integrated into all aspects of businesses in ways that just weren’t available back then.• People love their cell phones and laptops. Most people (especially businesspeople) can’t live without their BlackBerry and portable electronics, and cell phone service has almost become a necessary expense for most.• Businesses have become very reliant on IT and telecom services. Modern business owners would rather remove an arm than cut off tech services.

There are hard times ahead, but tech pros should look for the light at the end of the tunnel.

November 21, 2008

Is there a New Glass Ceiling for Women?

Women have reached a level playing field with men in practically every other field, but why not computer science? The Computing Research Association says that the percentage of computer science undergraduate degrees that go to women has declined every year since 2001. The New York Times has posted a fascinating article breaking down the possible causes of this trend.

Theories range from fear of becoming a stereotypical nerd to the rise of interactive video games as a “boy’s toy” that isn’t for girls.

Ladies: do these claims ring true to you? And if so, how do you believe this trend can be reversed?

November 19, 2008

Don’t Quit Your Day Job: CareerBuilder’s Q4 2008 Job Forecast

It’s no secret that starting a job search now isn’t the best idea in the world. CareerBuilder’s Q4 2008 Job Forecast expects the chilly reception for job seekers to continue through the rest of the year.

CareerBuilder and USA TODAY surveyed more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals and over 6,100 workers nationwide. Of the polled workers, 9% had taken a second job to help make ends meet, with 24% considering it. A vast majority indicated that they would be sticking with their current jobs for at least another year.

Skilled IT and Health Care professionals should have little problem finding work, but other sectors are struggling to stay afloat. One-fifth of surveyed workers who found a new job in 2008 reported that it took them four months or longer to find work.

Check out the report for yourself. The main takeaways: Always stay in your company’s good graces in a difficult time, especially when looking for a new job, and settle in for a long search.